Coke-oven door operating mechanism



Feb. 13, 1940. G. E. SALKWST 2,190,297

COKE-OVEN DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 6, 1937 4 Sheets-sheet 2 9 IN VENT OR. '6r/s TAF Eow//v SHA/W5 7T MIM/LM MWORNEY.

Feb. 13, 1940. E, SALKWST O 2,190,297

COKE-OVEN DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Feb. 13, 1940. Y Q E, SALKWST 2,190,297

COKE-OVEN DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 6, 1937 4 Shea ts-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 605779# fowl/v Ja/.Kv/.srr

Wg. deal@ ,(rvATToRNEx Patented Feb. 13, 1940 i l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,190,297 COKE-.OVEN DOOR. OPERATING MECHANISM Gustar Edwin Salkvist, Pittsburgh,4 Pa., assignor to Koppers Company, a corporation of Deia ware Application March 6,1931, serial No. 129,336 2o claims. (ci. zoe- 248) The present invention relates to coking retort pressure resulting from the iiection oi the spring ovens in general and more speciiically pertains was used to hold the movable door against its to an improved and special means adapted to door frame. This latter embodiment of the 1mlatch the removable doors of coking chambers in provement was neither mounted on the door nor i; closed and sealed position, while the carboniiia-` provided with means for removing it from pres'- 5 tion process is in progress in such chambers, and sure-contact with the door and the latch-hooks, to a mechanism i'or actuating said latching so that the. operations of removing and replacing means. l the spring-latch to permit respectively the open- In a co-pending application of the applicant, ing and closing of the coking chamber must be l Serial Number 129,337, which was filed o1' even performed by an extraneous device. l 10 date herewith, a novel and useful improvement in Theinstant application is supplementary to latching means for the doors of coking retort that disclosing the above-mentioned improveovens has been disclosed, said improvement com ments, and by the hereinafter described invenprising a iiexible and resilient latch-bar means tion there is furnished a simple and eiiective l5 adapted to be employed in place of the substanmechanism whereby a springdatch, intended to l5 tially inflexible one in customary use in theart; be used in an embodiment thereof having no spea lai-ching means having the properties of iiexicial actuating means directly associated therebility and resilience furnishes many advantages with, can be placed into and removed from opamongst which are its ability to provide autoerating position with ease and precision. This matically for compensatory adjustments within is one of the objects of invention. lo itself whereby certain undesirable eii'ects of fiuc- Another object of invention is the provision of tuations from that pressure initially established a mechanism for the stated purpose which can, between the door frame and the oven door at the if preferred, be positioned on the pusher and beginning of the carbonization period, such as i'or door machines and also be disposed to co-act 2;, example may be engendered by unanticipated therewith in such operating procedure that both g5 pressure of the coal charge against the door, or devices can be brought into position for satisfacchanges in the temperature of the door and the tory operation simultaneously, thereby saving the like. will tend to be counteracted, with thel retime that would otherwise be required in stasuit that increased protection for the doors estioning two separate mechanisms. The invenw pecially of the well-known types having yielding, tion has for further objects such other operative metallic sealing edges is provided thereby. advantages or results as may be found to obtain Latchlbars of said type also advantageouslypr'oin theprocesses and apparatus hereinafter devide convenient and simple means whereby the scribed or claimed. 4

pressure between an oven door and its door frame .My present invention co .nprises essentially a 3 5 can be adjusted and maintained with improved mechanism adapted to provide a clamp-like ac- 35 refinement. tion and has at least twojaws, the one of which In the above-cited cio-pending application, the is capable of such movement in respect of the. improvement was preferably embodied as a leafother that the distance between them can be in- Sprllf 01 SfD-Called Spring-latch that wasl creased or diminished and preferably by poweradapted to bc inserted between the movable oven driven means. According to the invention,- the o door and the adjacent Stationary hOOkS Provided jaws of the clamping mechanism are adapted for for engaging the spring-latch. This improve movement into and out oi engagement with the ment was shown in two usefullembodiments. The spring-latch assembly by the same operation of one embodiment comprises a Spring-latch that the door machine that serves to actuate the doorwas adjustably and rotatably mounted on the ho'ok into and out; 0f engagement with the doordoor and was provided with means for moving the hook plate, For effecting this movement the latch into and out of operating position so that door hook and the latch-clamp are joined by 205 laichil'l means Could be an independent straps orconnecting rods so that the motion of l." Operative mit that did not require the inter* the one is imparted to the other. The closing and vention of an extraneous mechanism in its prac opening of the jaws` of. the clamping mecha- 50 tival eXplOlZaiiOli. In its Other embqdiment, the mism, which movements are respectively eminvention was shown as a simple leaf-Spring PO- Dici/edito flex the spring-latch or relieve it oi sitioned between the movable door and stationary the effects of that action, are preferably perlatclihooks in flexed condition and so disposed formed by a power-driven device that is indiin respect of .said latch-hooks and door that the vidual to' said jaws. By means of the present inn parts-'being insectiom and v .40

. narrow edge2$ thereoican be embodlme'rifil of,- x'iiylfiriiproved lathing mens dissjij closed in the ereinbefor mentinedco-pendof this specification exemplication a preferred apparatus-'and matin` od in which the invention may beg-'embodied and;

' -firame of the door vagainst the practised but without iimitingtiie claimed uwen-'- tion speclcally to such illustrative instance or instances:

Figure 1 is a view, tion,oiv a portion of a in transverse-'vertical sec?` means :of `aiie'xlble and res a door-machine associatedthe customary door-hookior handling the door; and

clam-pins mechanism..-

latches oi' the; door-.latching means;

@stattgegeoutline, drawinsoi 'anew similar to.that*sh0WD:m'Fgi1ie 1 Winch both the.

ce .oie the invention and' the j door-hook `have been lowered -a` ay from operating.contactwithtlfieoyendoor;V ,I Figure-,3 isV -,a r: ilari vl evl. -,t kenalong vthe linesj inmmorricwe 1:1.- v .1 ij.'

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragment ,foi y 'Figures'5f and faretyertical sections along the lines VLWandJVI--s-)Wfrespectively oiLEig'ure 4 andan-sure 2; [if "f "l". 'i f'i- -c v" 'ef reference -fnumerals y refer.i to, the f during the' interval' that' ,the carbonization reatition is'p'rogres'sing v through `the vcoal' charges Door Il comprises the door-casting. andthe. riractoy plug i3 whichis adapted to'flt loosely betwen the-heating walls' lc or the battery -struo-., ture'when the door Yisl -placed 'into operating -posi tion to close the oiRerr'xO'uth.'A .'Thef-interstltial. spaces' of f the' vdoor plug and thef heating walls arey sealed from the ingressoi'fair'iandescapeof vproduots ofdisj'tn'la'tionfoymeans or the sembles-en ing-trarne]afthatis'amxeo 'tothe doorand -exf tends around lits entire' penpherygand by: a oo. acting doorlframei s: 'that entirely surrouoasthe. oven mouth j in' 'th'e well-:known manner. 'The'r door framers flor-'med o'sa'ioteral projection ofthe 4ribbed face-plates '1 1 which'in serve to cover the jainbbricks I'8fpositi'oried at each v'ri'd `o'f an; ovenheating walland'ag'ainst which theya're pressed: by the' buck-stays I 9"that serve; to restrict movement' .in the heati g wallsof' the battery.O Screws.,2 5are loeatednat'intervalfs 'around the door-casting .and serve as .a means for applying pressure tothe flexible sealing ii-ame sothat the I PreSSgdf intosueh contact with the door` frame, at all points there- 'along as prevents leakage oi gases into or out of posed 33 .itself .comprises a l mounted a channel-casing 36 and a plurality of coke oven batteryshowing an'oven -doorsupportedfintlie oven, mOllth by ilint spring-latchand 'ewith having'the the coking chamber through the interstitial spaces 21.

The latching means for supporting the oven door in thernouth of the coklng chamber and for holding it in sealed position against the door frame comprises primarily the latch-hooks 28 attachedto the rib-29 of the face-plate, the bracket 30 'aillxedto the door casting I2 by bolts 32, and the spring-latch 33 which is adapted for insertion -'=betv1een the movable door and the stationary i latch-hooks, and in hich position it is also dis- 'to" exert su'ch pressure against said latchand the bracket 30 as will hold the sealing door frame at the The spring-latch assembly yoke 34 within which are hooks preferred pressure.v

'graduated metal plates 31, all said members being held together by stud bolt 38 in such fashion that theyr may function -as ra flexible and resilient lat'ch"- bar,' 'substantially as hewn. The springlatch"assembly, when in operating position, and in whichf'position `it is shown ln the drawings, is so disposed that yoke 3l is pressed against the surface/i3! of bracket plates '31, which functions as4 a leaf-spring, has both ends of atleast one o! the longest plates in pressure-contact with their respective latchhooks. The substantially rigid channel-casing 35'- b'ee'ndesigned. with the configuration show'n'j'v in order that it may serve two purposes, theorie' of'fwhich Ais toretain metallic plates 31 in' orderly --arrangement at such times as the springlatch is relieved oi all pressure thereon and the other is to'serve as 4a means for applying pressure stgisaid-'plates at some specifically preferred point or points. As will be noted in Figure 3ftheiendsv 40 of the vertical section of said casing are' curved inwardlyin such manner that pressure applied at the middle of the channel-casingl will 'cause the ends thereof to bear against the longestl plates of the spring assembly 31, adjacent thepointswher'e they are engaged by the latchhooks, and to flex themv so that they will be removed'iroifn-'contact with the latch-hooks. Yoke gis disposed tov slide over said channel-casing, and if] 'therefore clamping' pressure is applied simultaneously to' the outside of the. vertical sections oi' both the 4yoke and the casing, these mem'- bers canbe moved closer together and the springlatch. assembly 'removed from pressure-contact with both the door-bracket and the latch-hooks. The .assemblvcan then be moved upward and out 'of' operating position and in so doing leave the door f reeto be removed from the oven mouth.

According tothe present invention, I provide a power-.driven mechanism that is adapted to furi'ilsh` the 4clamp-like movement just described. Essentially the invention comprises a wrench-like mechanism havingvco-acting jaws mounted ona movable stage. v Oneof the jaws is adapted to be movedmechanically whereas the other is xedly 30 and the group ot metal.

anche? n assist in its entrance thereinto. The threads16 engagement with the hook plate, `the sprlnglatches are being moved out of engagement with the latch-hooks substantially simultaneously.

the door-hook is being moved into actuallifting- The inventionwill be more clearlyunderstood by again referring to the drawings. i

The door-machine 45, shown in Figures 1,12,

and which is adapted to travel in parallelism with the-ends of the ovens of a batteryr on tracks provided for the purpose, is stationed in front of an oven door and in position to performthe operations of un-latching the doorand removing itA from the oven. fIn Figure 2, the door-hook and the co-movable latch-actuating mechanism are shown moved downwardly and'out of operating4 position. In Figure 1 theram 461s shown as having been` moved on wheels 41 into such position adjacent the oven door by the driven pinion 48 andthe co-acting rack 49 of the ram that the bumper 50 is engaged with bumper-plate 5 I which is axed to the door.` This movement of the ram has also moved the door-hook 52 and the latchactuating mechanism of the invention into operating position. shaft 53 and is adapted for movement in a vertical plane by power `supplied from motor 54and which is transmitted to the door-hook respec-` tivey through the spur gear reduction 55, threaded sleeve 56, and threaded stem 51 which terminates in a rack-section that meshes with gear sector 58 supporting the door-hook.

The actuating mechanisms forthe springlatches, adjacent the top and bottom of the door,`

are mounted on stages 59, each stage being supported on a bracket 60 of lthe door machine ram by means of crank-shaft 6I. Both the upper and lower stages are connected with the door-hook` respectively by rods 62, 63, so thatl said stages and door-hook can be moved in unison and from the same source of power- In Figures a, 4, the spring-meh actuating mechanism of invention is shown in detailassembled on stage 59. The mechanism comprisesthe driving motor 64, speed reducer 65, thrust-bracket 66, and both the xed front jaws 61 along with the movable rear jaw 68 which provide the actual clamping operation whereby the spring-l latch is exed so that it may be removed from or restored to operating position between the oven door and the latch-hooks. Movable jaw 68 is provided with ways 69 on the supporting stage and in which they are held by grooves 10 in the xed jaws 61 that are bolted to said stage by bolts 1I, said movable jaw being disposed to slide within said ways.` The movable jaw is also provided with a cylindrical bore 11a that extends therethrough insubstantial parallelism with the ways 69 provided by the xed jaws. i A section 12. of this bore `is providedwith coarse threads, preferably a doublethread ofthe Acme type. Shaft 13 is formed preferably as a tube having alcollar 14 between which and thethrustbracket 66 there is interposed Washerv 15 ofbearing-metalfor taking-up the pressure of the movable jaw, vwhen the latter is in pressure-contact with the channel-casing of the spring-latch; the shaft-is adapted for rotation by motor 64 operating through speed-reducer 65, and is-rigidly con-v nected With the slowspeed shaft of said reducer. At its end towards the door, ashort sec- Door-hook 52 is mounted on y of hollow shaft 13 `are adapted to co-act with."

are-inengagement, said jawcan be eitherfmove'd towardsor retracted from flxedjaws 61byap.-

, thoseofjaw 68, andwhen these threaded parts propriete rotation of `said shaft. Threads-..16 are `so disposed in respect of the shaft 13, the..

movable ljaw and channel-casing 35 that` when thejaws` have beenwbrought together suiiciently l to remove yoke 34 andspring-leaves 31 from cong tact yrespectively with bracket 30 and latchhooks 28, said `threadedsection 16 will have en. trely` emerged from `the threaded par@ of the protecting all In Figure 6 is shown an end view of the jawsf of the clamping mechanism and-their(I sional relationships.

In Figure 5 is clearlyshown in detailthe cievice employed for mounting the supqcorting` stage .i 5.9v of the latching mechanism on `brackets 60..;

of the door machine. veloped to furni'shvsaid stage with somelend-.wise

'I'his device Yhas been del 25 motion so-that in those instances when the `stage L` has been elevated into operating position and the xed jaws of the clamping arrangement are..-

not in direct contact with by moving the stage end-wise.

comprising the crank-shaft 6|: andthe crankpin 11; the former is rotatably mountedzim bracket 6l)` and the latter is rotatably connected with the stage to support it. v

In the operation of my invention, subsequent tothe steps of stationing. the door-machine in front of theoven door, that is aboutgto be re-- moved from its associated coking chamber, and of engaging bumper 50 in.bumper-plate`5i doorhook 52 is slowly raised from theposition shown in FigureZ by starting motor l54. Stages 59 locatedabove and below said door-hook and connected therewith respectively by rods 62, 63, start:

the'iyoke of the spring, latch, said jaws canbe shifted into `that positicn. This movement for allowing the jaws to center themselves-is l provided by means of a cranksuspension device to rotate around crank-pins 'l1 atlthe same time, i

thus elevating the jaws of the` clampingmechanisms in the direction Aof the spring-latches holding the door in the oven mouth. Connecting rods 62,` 63, are provided with tially the position shown in Figure 2, that is,`wl1en said hook `is in such position that itis about to engage hook-plate 18,the jaws 61, 68,-ofthe clampingrmechanisms will have. engaged their respective spring-latches `andy the horizontal sections of the fixed jaws. will liemsubstantially adjacent the lower parts of the yokesfof the springlatches. When the door-hook `and clamping mechanisms are in these respective positions, `the door-hook driveisstopped and motor 64, which isadapted to actuate the .clamping mechanism, is setin motion to rotate hollow: shaft 13 in that direction whichrwill cause movable jawr 68 to advance in waysfGB towards the spring-latch` assembly and into contact with the ,channel-casing'memberthereof. In theevent .thatlxed jaw 61 snot in contact with yoke 34of said spring-latch assembly when contact is established between the movable jaw and channel-casing 35, the'pressure ofthe former against the latter `will cause `crank-pin 11 to move about lcrank-shaft 6i, which movement in turn will cause stage 59 to move away from the oven door a short lclissuch Trespective ,lengths that when the door-hook is` in substanto relieve, at the same -weight of the oven door,

tance and bring the nxed jaw into contact with the yoke of the spring-latch. Subsequent to the establishing of contact between the spring-latch and both jaws of its clamping mechanism, further movement of the movable jaw 68 in the direction of the door brings the yoke and channel-casing closer together so that the latter presses against the metal plates of the springlatch and with sufficient pressure to move said plates out of contact with the latch-hooks and time, the surface 39 of bracket 3l of any pressure from yoke 3l. Motor Il is stopped when the spring-latches are suiiiciently tree to be removed from their positions between the oven door and the latch-hooks. The

l next step in the operation of removing the oven door is to re-start motor 5l therebyl further elevating the door-hook and causing it to enter into lifting engageme -t with door-hook plate 18. This operation effects further rotation of the therewith connected stages 59 about crank-pins 11, to lift them and the thereon mounted 'clamping mechanisms, which now have the springlatches exed between their jaws. At such time as the door-hook has been elevated into sufficient engagement with the hook-plate to carry the the spring-latches will have been raised out of the latch-hooks and above the upper level thereof thus leaving the oven door supported on the door-hook and the latches un-latched. The door may be now withdrawn from the oven mouth by moving the ram outward from the face of the battery.

When it is desired to restore the oven door to its latched position in the oven, the aboverecited operating steps are repeated in reverse sequence.

Limit switches may be employed, if preferred, to set into or arrest the motion of the various working parts so that they .may be brought into action in proper sequence automatically, thereby saving. time and providing convenience of operation. For example, a limit switch can be employed to cut-off the power from the door-hook drive ilnd start the motor operating the clamping mechanism when the latter has been raised by the door-hook into a position where it can effectively clamp the spring-latches, and such an arrangement can also be utilized to limit the travel of the movable jaw in either directionv and to start the door-hook drive mechanism after the spring-latches have, been suiciently exed to allow their being lifted out of operating position. It is also expedient to provide means which prevent thestarting of motor 64 save at such times as the jaws of the clamping mechanism are in position around the spring-latch in order to avoid the possibility of running the movable jaw off the threads of its actuating shaft.

In consequence of wear and for other reasons, it may be desirable to adjust the position of the spring-latches in respect of the door-casting and the latch-hooks. Such adjustive refinements may be simply done by placing "riders" that are adapted to rest between the outer surface of yoke 34 and thesurfa'ce 39 of bracket 30. This expediency may be employed either to increase the distance between the door casting and the yoke or to increase the pressure of the spring-latches against the latch-hooks. If it should be. desirable to vary the amount of clamping movement, this may be effected by placing clips on the channelcasing at points where it comes into contact with the movable jaw, or washers 'l5 of diverse thicknesses can be employed, or thrust-bracket 86 may be mounted in such manner that it is adjustable end-wise. By means of these expediences it is possible to regulate both the pressure exerted by the spring-latches on the door and on the latch-hooks and also to provide such position for the spring-latches in respect of the jaws of the clamping mechanism that they will always be operatively received by said jaws when they are elevated into operating position.

The herein disclosed actuating mechanism for the spring-latches of' coke oven doors has been adapted for placing in operating position by the movement of the door-hook and consequently the same source of power may be used for moving both these members. Such embodiment of the invention has the advantage that the proper disposition of the one member in respect of its co-acting part on the door automatically provides the desired position for the other, thus reducing the number of adjustments from those that would be required if the two mechanisms acted independently of each other. However, in certain instances it may prove advantageous to provide independent action for the door-hook and the spring-latch clamping mechanism, which provision will depend largely on the construction of the door machine with which itis proposed to have the invention associated* In-both the hereinabove mentioned co-pending application and in the present description of a mechanism for actuating a spring-latch for a coke oven door. the spring-latch has been shown as a unit assembly having as one of its important features a device for carrying a pressure applied thereto to points adjacent the extremities of the spring-leaves where they are brought into contact with the latch-hooks. This device has been embodied as the channel-casing 35 and forms an integral part of the spring-latch. It is however obvious that more especially for those instances where the spring-latch isdesigned for employment in combination with a clamping mechanism of the herein disclosed type, the channel-casing need not be incorporated in the springlatch assembly as a necessary element thereof for it. is possible to combine said channel-casing and the movable jaws into one member Without departingl from the spirit of the invention or the operating results produced by the improvement. For example, I may if I prefer form the springlatch as a simple assembly of spring-leaves held together in any appropriate manner that will notI reduce their resilience substantially and combine the channel-casing and the movable jaws of the clamping mechanism into one member; or Il may form the movable jaw 6B with lateral projections disposed to engage the spring-latch at points nearer the ends thereof than those where the pressure of the xed'jaws 61 is applied.

The invention as hereinabove set forth is embodied in particular form and manner but may be variously embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter made.

I claim:

l. In combination with a coking retort oven having a movable door adapted for support in the. mouth of the oven by a latching device comprising, a flexible and resilient member comprising plates coacting together as a spring and disposed both to span said door and to engage means that are independent of the door for arresting said member while under fiection, and means for transmitting clamping-pressure from an extraneous source to at least three points alone said exble and resilient member and of which aromas? points twolie on the same side of said memberV and the third lies on an opposite side thereof substantially intermediately of the others, a clamping mechanism for actuating said flexible and resilient member to latch and unlatch said door, said mechanism comprising: jaw1ike parts that are adapted to engage between them both the exible and resilient member and the means for transmitting clamping-pressure to said member at desired points therealong and. in such manner that `pressure can be applied to said member from opposite sides thereof simultaneously, and means for altering the distance between the jawlike parts so as to modify the resilient pressure obtaining in said flexible and resilient member.

2. A clamping mechanism fory altering the exure obtaining in latching means for a coke oven door so as to latch and unlatch said door, said latching means. comprising: a spring-like bar-element whose extremities can be exed in respect of the intermediate parts thereof, disposed to span said door; hook means that are positioned at either side of said door and independentiy thereof. said hook means being adapted to engage said spring-like bar-element and to arrest it while under ection; and means for transmitting clamping-pressure to said springliire bar-element in such manner that the extremities can be moved in respect of the intermediate parts thereof and of the hook means. said mechanism comprising: jaw-like parts that are adapted to form a clamping device for engaging the pressure transmitting means and the spring-like bar-element from opposite sides of said bar-element;- means for adjustingthe distance between said jaw-.like parts; and means for moving the spring-like bar-element into and out of engagement with the hook means.

3.I A clamping mechanism for altering the exure obtaining in latching means for a coke oven door so as to latch and unlatch saiddoor, said latching means comprising: a spring-like bar-element adapted lto be flexed intermediate its ends, that is disposed to span said door: hookmeans that are positioned at either sideof said door and independently thereof, said hook means being adapted to engage said spring-like barelement and to arrest it while under ilection; and

means for transmitting clamping-pressure to said spring-like bar-element in such manner that the extremities can be moved in respect of the intermediate parts thereof and of the hook means, said mechanism comprising: at least a pair of jaw-like parts adapted to form a clamping device and to receivev the spring-like bar-element and the pressure transmitting means therebetween, one of said parts being adjustably disposed in` respect of the other and provided with a threaded section; and a member having threads adapted to vengage the threaded section ofthe jaw-like part, said member being rotatable in' respect of said part.

4. A 4clamping mechanisml fiexure obtaining in 4iatching means for'a ycohe oven door so as to latch and unlatch said door, said iatching means comprising: aliatch bar-element that is disposed to span said door having a spring-like member therefor with extremities that can be flexed relative to its intermediate parts; hook means that are positioned at either side of said door and independently thereof, said hook means being adapted to engage said latch bar-e1ement end to arrest it while under tension of the iiection of the spring member; and means for transmitting clamping-pressure to said for altering the spring-like member in such manner that the` extremities can be moved in respect of the inter-- mediate parts thereof and-of the hook means, said mechanism comprising: at least a pair of jaw-like parts adapted to form a clamping device and to receive the spring-like member and the pressure transmitting means therebetween; one of said parts being adjustably disposed in `re spect of the other and provided with athreaded section; a member having threads that are 'adapted to engage-said threaded section of the 'jaw-like part; and power-driven means for rotating said threaded member. i

5. A clamping mechanism for altering the exure-obtaining in` latching means for a coke oven door so as to latch and unlatch said door, said latching means comprising: a hook engaging bar-part with a spring-like member therefor, disposed to. span said door; hookrneans that are positioned at either side of said door and independently thereof, said hook means being adapted to engage said bar-part and to arrest it While undertension of the ection oi thespringlike member; and means for transmitting clamp- -ing-pressure to said spring-like member in such manner that its extremities can be moved in re spect of'theintermediate parts thereof and the bari-part relative to the hook means, said mechanism comprising: a stage rotatably mounted on a transportable supportand provided with end-wise movement in respect thereof; and o'n said stage and supported thereby. a clamping device formed by at least two jaw-like members that are adapted to receive therebetween both the bar-part and its spring-like member and the means for transmitting pressure providedby the clamping device to preferred points therealong, one 'of said jaw-like parts being adjustably disposed in respect of the other and provided with a threaded section, and a rototable member having threads that are adapted to engage the threaded IsectionV of the adjustably disposed jawlike part, and powerdriven means for rotating said threaded member. l

6. A clamping mechanism for altering the iiexure obtaining in latching means for `a coke oven door so as to latch and unlatch said door, said latching mean's comprising:4 a spring-like meinber having extremities that can be moved in respect of intermediate parts thereof disposed to said spring-like member and to, arrest it while under 'iiectiom and means for transmitting clamping-pressure to said spring-like member in such manner that its extremities' can be moved in respect of the intermediate parts thereof and of the hook means, said mechanism comprising: a stage rotatably mounted on a support and pro vided with end-wise movement in respect thereof; and onv said stage and supported thereby, a clamping, device formedby at least two `law-like members that are adapted toreceive therebetween both the springlike member and the means for transmitting pressureprovided by the clamping-device to preferred points therealong, one of said jaw-like parts being adjustably disposed in respect of the other and provided with a threaded section, and a rotatable member having threadsl that `are adapted tof engage the threaded section of the adjustably disposed jaw-V ing said stage into and out of engagement with the spring-like member.

'7. A clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 5 and in which the means for rotating the threaded member comprises: a motor; a speed-reducer; and means for counteracting thrust resulting from the pressure of the rotatable and threaded member against the movable jaw-like part.

8. A clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 5 and in which the stage is rotatably mounted on another mechanism having hook means for handling the oven door, said stage being connected with said hook means by a linkage so that they can be moved concurrently.

9. A clamping mechanism as claimed in claim 5 and in which the stage is rotatably mounted on another mechanism having hook means for handling the oven door and by means comprising a crank-shaft and crank-pin whereby said stage is provided with end-wise motion when subjected to rotary motion.

l0. A mechanism for actuating means that are disposed to latch a movable door in the mouth of a coking retort chamber, said means comprising, a multiple leaf spring constituting a flexible and resilient member that is adapted both to span said door and to exert pressure simultaneously against both the door and arresting means that are positioned adjacent either side andy independently of said door for engaging said member, said mechanism comprising: jaw-like parts disposed in at least two elements between which the flexible and resilient member is receivable, the series of jaw-like parts being adapted to clamp said member between them by means of a device disposed to move at least one of said series in respect of the other so that the distance therebetween can be varied and the resilient pressure obtaining in said exlble and resilient member thereby altered.

11. A mechanism for actuating means that are disposed to latch a movable door in the mouth of a coking retort chamber, said means comprising, a laminated spring constituting a flexible and resilient member that is adapted both to span said door and to exert pressure simultaneously against both the door and arresting means that are positioned adjacent either side and independently of said door for engaging said member, said mechanism beingadapted to engage said exible and resilient member and comprising: a number of jaw-like parts arranged toy exert pressure on said member at at least three pointstherealong and of which points two lie on the same side of said member and the third lies sub'- stantially intermediately of the others on an opposite side thereof, the jaw-.like parts at one side of the flexible and resilient member being adjustably disposed in respect of those at the opposite side so that the distance therebetween can be varied for the purpose of varying the ection of said member.

12. In combination with a coking retortoven having a movable door adapted for support in the mouth of the oven by latching means comprising a hook engaging bar-part with a spring-like member therefor, disposed both to span said door and to engage means that are independent of the door for arresting said member while under nectlon. a clamping mechanism for actuating said spring-like member to latch and unlatch said door, said mechanism comprising: jaw-like parts on a movablestage one of which is fixed to the stage and another of which is provided with ways movable in grooves in nxed relation to the stage,

to exert clamping pressure against the springlike member; a cylindrical bore in the movable jaw having threads; a threaded shaft rotatable for advancing and retracting the movable jaw; means for varying the distance between the jawlike parts when they are in clamping position so that the clamping pressure exerted thereby can be regulated; and means for distributing the pressure exerted by said mechanism in such manner that it will be applied to the spring-like member at at least'three points therealong and of which points two lie on the same side of said member while the third lies between the others and on the opposite side thereof.

13. A coke-oven door and door-operating apparatus, comprising in combination: the cokeoven door; spring means spanning said door and adapted to be flexed between its ends to secure it in place; and a power-actuated apparatus having cooperatively combined with each other a clamping mechanism for gripping, iiexing, releasing and resetting said spring means.

14. A coke-oven door and door-operating apparatus, comprising in combination: the coltreoven door; spring means spanning said door and adapted to be flexed between its ends to secure it in place; and a power-actuated apparatus adapted to travel from door to door along the oven-'battery and having a clamping mechanism for gripping, flexing, releasing and resetting said spring means.

l5. A coke-oven door and door operating apparatus, comprising: a coke-oven door, a latch spanning said door and adapted to secure it in place against a holding means therefor, said latch comprising a latch bar-element having spring means for exerting spring pressure on the latch bar-element intermediate its ends to tighten it between the holding means and door, and said latch bar-element and its spring means being bodily insertable and removable as a unit freely displaceable relative to the door for insertion groove-means for guiding the movement of the movable jaw; a' bore in the movable jaw having at least a portion thereof threaded; and a threaded rotatable shaft therefor, for advancing and retractng the movable jaw relative to the jaw that is xed as to the movablestage.

17. Mechanism as claimed in claim 16, and which includes a thrust-bearing for the rotatable shaft; a thrust-bearing engaging-element on the rotatable shaft located between the thrust-bearing and the threads of the rotatable shaft.

18. Mechanism as claimed in claim 16, and which includes a thrust-bearing for the rotatable shaft; a thrust-bearing engaging-element on the -rotatabi shaft located between the mwst-bearing and the threads of the rotatable shaft, said engaging-element'being spaced from the thrust iii and removal between the door and the holding bearing to, receive adjustable spacer elements therebetween.

19. Mechanism as claimed in claim 16, and in which a portion of the end of the rotatable shaft nearest the jaws is designed to be adapted to be out of threaded engagement with the threads of ,the bore of `the movable jaw.

20. Mechanism as claimed inclaim 16, and

which includes a crank-suspension for the stage, operable on rotation of the shaft when the movable jaw is 1n clamping engagement but the fixed jaw is not, for shifting the stage relative to the compressible member to bring the xed jaw also 5 into clamping engagement.

GUSTAF EDWIN SALKVIBT. 

